Electronic copies of Faculty of Health Sciences and Sport letters (published in a journal). http://hdl.handle.net/1893/24472 2026-10-03T01:54:43Z 2026-10-03T01:54:43Z Healy, Andy Patel, Akshaykumar Marks, Jacqueline Bremner, Stephen Foster, Rhiannon Gibson, Sarah L Goldsmith, Lucy Pollyanna Lucock, Mike Repper, Julie Rinaldi, Miles Simpson, Alan White, Sarah Ussher, Michael Gillard, Steve http://hdl.handle.net/1893/38080 2026-05-30T00:05:55Z 2025-02-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Peer support for discharge from hospital to community mental health care: a cost analysis Author(s): Healy, Andy; Patel, Akshaykumar; Marks, Jacqueline; Bremner, Stephen; Foster, Rhiannon; Gibson, Sarah L; Goldsmith, Lucy Pollyanna; Lucock, Mike; Repper, Julie; Rinaldi, Miles; Simpson, Alan; White, Sarah; Ussher, Michael; Gillard, Steve Abstract: First paragraph: Peer workers—people with personal experiences of using mental health services, trained to provide support to others currently using similar services—are increasingly integrated into the workforce of mental health systems internationally.1 A meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials of individual peer support in mental health services indicated a modestly significant effect of peer support on measures of self-reported recovery and empowerment compared with care as usual, also showing that peer support was associated with a reduction in the relative risk of psychiatric hospital admission of 14% compared with care as usual

2025-02-01T00:00:00Z Ussher, Michael Brose, Leonie McNeill, Ann Notley, Caitlin Bauld, Linda Hajek, Peter Pesola, Francesca Shahab, Lion http://hdl.handle.net/1893/37177 2025-09-20T02:36:25Z 2025-07-15T00:00:00Z

Title: Letter to the Editor: Comments on "Associations between vaping during pregnancy and perinatal outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis" by Deprato et al., (2025) Author(s): Ussher, Michael; Brose, Leonie; McNeill, Ann; Notley, Caitlin; Bauld, Linda; Hajek, Peter; Pesola, Francesca; Shahab, Lion Abstract: First paragraph: We read with interest the review by Deprato and colleagues [1], which concluded that vaping during pregnancy increases the risk of adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes. There are several important limitations to this review that should be highlighted, as these affect its conclusions.

2025-07-15T00:00:00Z Goldsmith, Lucy P Roberts, Amanda Flohr, Carsten Boyle, Robert J Ussher, Michael Perkin, Michael R http://hdl.handle.net/1893/35571 2023-11-21T01:06:35Z 2023-10-11T00:00:00Z

Title: Routine infant skincare advice in the UK: a cross-sectional survey Author(s): Goldsmith, Lucy P; Roberts, Amanda; Flohr, Carsten; Boyle, Robert J; Ussher, Michael; Perkin, Michael R Abstract: First paragraph: Eczema has the highest burden of all skin disease, affecting 15% of infants and 6% of older children worldwide.1 Gene–environment interactions are implicated in eczema development. Impaired skin barrier function is observed in infants preceding the development of clinical eczema, suggesting that preventing skin barrier function impairment may support primary prevention of eczema.2 In infancy, the skin undergoes a maturation process including changes in the lipid lamellae structure and stratum corneum. The stratum corneum becomes less permeable, reflected in reduced transepidermal water loss rates as maturation occurs. The impact of infant skincare routines on short- or long-term skin barrier function and skin health is unknown.

2023-10-11T00:00:00Z Critchlow, Nathan Houghton, Frank http://hdl.handle.net/1893/35103 2025-09-23T03:54:19Z 2023-05-18T00:00:00Z

Title: The importance of continued and full implementation of the Public Health (Alcohol) Act: A comment on Barry and Lyne (2023) Author(s): Critchlow, Nathan; Houghton, Frank Abstract: First paragraph: We read with interest Barry and Lyne’s (2023) perspective piece chronicling the development of public health alcohol policy in Ireland, which culminated in enactment of the Public Health (Alcohol) Act in October 2018 (hereafter ‘the Act’). At the heart of the piece is an interesting reflection on the circular nature of evidence in public health alcohol policy. It begins by highlighting how the formative stages of policy development in Ireland sought inspiration from the World Health Organization’s evidence-based framework for alcohol policy. It concludes with details of how Ireland has established a Public Health Alcohol Research Group, with remit to advise on monitoring and evaluating the Act, thus instigating a ‘feedback loop’ of real-world evidence which will inform the development and implementation of future public health alcohol policy internationally. The Act and plans for evaluation therefore once again position Ireland as a global leader in public health policy, as was the case in tobacco control (Studlar 2015).

2023-05-18T00:00:00Z